Suction nozzle



I. H. MARANTZ SUCTION NOZZLE Aug. 4, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 26, 1952 s R n Y 2 M N a m WM f mfl M M 1m 5 1959 H, MARANTZ 2,897,743

SUCTION NOZZLE Original Filed March 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Imn INVEN TOR ISFZZQZHMQFQIZZ? ATTORNEYS SUCTION NOZZLE Israel H. Marantz, Forest Hills, N.Y., assignor to Columbia Cable & Electric Corporation, a corporation of New York Original application March 26, 1952, Serial No. 278,553. Divided and this application February 7, 1956, Serial No. 564,001

1 Claim. (Cl. 98-115) As conducive to an understanding of the invention, it is noted that when metal spray pistols are utilized to apply a metal coating to an object, only a portion of the sprayed metal powder may strike the object and the remaining or excess powder will fall to the bottom of the spraying chamber. In order to reduce the cost of operation, such excess powder is collected and as the original size of the particles forming the powder, change by reason of the spraying operation, such excess powder is then separated into its various component grades inasmuch as they spray pistol must be set for a given particle size. The separated particles are thence poured into hoppers associated with each of the spray pistols.

The above operation is extremely time-consuming inasmuch as it necessitates stoppage of the spraying operation for removal of the excess powder and then such powder must be taken to special units for processing after which the separated powder must be brought back to the supply hoppers of the spray guns.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a suction nozzle, which has no moving parts, which may readily be fabricated and into Which heated particles may be sprayed without likelihood of such particles hitting the walls of the nozzle with resultant congealing and clogging of such nozzle, which nozzle is especially adapted for use in a continuous flow spray system of the type which automatically removes the excess powder from the spraying chamber, separates such powder into a plurality of particle sizes suitable for use in a spray pistol, discards particles which are too large or too small, and thence feeds such separated particles to the spray pistons, such operations being performed dependably and reliably without the need for any superv1s1on.

According to the invention these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claim.

This application is a division of co-pending application Serial No. 278,553, filed March 26, 1952, now Patent No. 2,770,212.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the continuous flow spraying system,

Fig. 2 is a view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the distributor with a portion broken away, and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View nozzle.

Referring now to the drawings, as shown in Fig; 1, the continuous flow spraying system in which the suction nozzle is illustratively incorporated, desirably comprises a spraying unit through which metal tubes .11 may be advanced such as in the manner shown and described in co-pending patent application Serial No. 86,532, now Patent No. 2,683,435, dated July 13, 1954.

of the suction The spraying unit desirably comprises a substantially upright rectangular cabinet 12 having suitable openings 13 in the opposed walls 14 thereof as shown in Fig. 2 through which the metal tubes may be advanced. Positioned in the cabinet 12 are suitable metal spraying means which desirably comprises a plurality of conventional metal spray pistols 15, which, though they may be of any suitable type, illustratively are of the type known in the art as the Schori pistol. The pistols 15 are designed to spray a non-ferrous metal coating such as zinc on the tubes as they are advanced through the cabinet 12.

Although the spray pistols 15 may be positioned in the cabinet 12 in any suitable manner, a particularly desirable arrangement is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the arrangement shown, three pistols 15 are provided, designated 15a, 15b and 15c, which are radially arranged around the tube 11 and spaced substantially degrees apart with the nozzles of each pistol directed toward the line of movement of the tube 11. The pistol 15a is desirably directed upwardly and the pistols 15b and are desirably directed obliquely downward toward the walls 16 and 17 of the cabinet 12 respectively. Preferably the pistols 15 are arranged in different vertical planes as shown in Fig. 2 so that the zinc sprayed therefrom will not strike an opposed pistol.

The cabinet 12 which is substantially closed, desirably has a funnel shaped top wall 19 with an outlet 18 therein vertically aligned with the spray piston 15a and has a discharge opening 26 at the bottom thereof through which waste powder may fall to be collected in a suitable container 36. Each of the walls 16, 17 of the cabinet 12 mounts an exhaust or suction nozzle 21 which are longitudinally aligned with the spray pistols 15b and 15c re spectively so that the spray from said pistols will be directed into the mouth 23 of the associated nozzle.

As shown in Fig. 4, according to the invention, the nozzle 21 desirably comprises a substantially cylindrical outer casing 24, which preferably has an outwardly flaring mouth 25. Positioned in the outer casing 24 is an inner casing, preferably a funnel 26, which has a plurality of perforations 27 in the wall thereof. The cylindrical portion 23 of the funnel 26 is of smaller diameter than that of the casing 24- so as to be spaced therefrom and has its end 29 encompassing and rigidly afiixed to the inwardly extending annular flange 31 about an axial opening 32 in the end wall 33 of outer casing 24.

The flaring mouth 34 of funnel 26 which is positioned in the mouth 25 of the outer casing, desirably has its rim 35 affixed as by rivets 36 to the rim 37 of the mouth 25 so as to provide an airtight seal at the mouth 23 of the nozzle 21. The casing 24 desirably has a baflie plate 33 afi'ixed to the end wall 33 thereof and positioned between the cylindrical portion 28 of funnel 26 and an air inlet port 39 in the outer casing 24 so that air forced into said port .39 from a suitable source of compressed air (not shown) will be deflected away from the opposed portion of funnel 26 to completely fill the chamber 41 formed between outer casing 24 and the inner casing or funnel 26.

Each of the spray pistols 15 has a suction line 44 connected thereto through which powder may be fed to the pistol. Each of the suction lines '44 is connected to an associated outlet port 45 in a powder distributor 46 shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The distributor 46 desirably comprises an elongated, substantially rectangular block of any suitable rigid material such as metal. The block has a plurality of vertical bores 48 therethrough, spaced therealong, each of said bores desirably having a funnel shaped mouth 49 in the top surface 50 of the block 46 of diameter substantially equal to the width of the block with the rims 51 of adjacent mouths being in juxtaposition.

Extending transversely through the block 46 are a plurality of bores 52 associated respectively with each of the bores 48 and passing therethrough. The ends of bores 52 in'theside wall 53 of the block 46 'define'ithe outlet ports 45 and each of the other ends of bores 52' in side wall 54 has a valve 55 therein to control the flow of air into the associated bore 52. Positioned directly beneath the lower ends of the vertical bores 48 in the distributor 46 is a suction collector 57 which is desirably connected by'branch suction lines 58' and 59 to a main suction line 61.

Each of the exhaust nozzles 21 also desirably has a branch suctionline 59 connected thereto through which thepowder particles from the spray pistols may be conveyed. One end of line 59 is connected to main suction line 61 and the other end 62 of said line 59 is desirably aflixed in the inturned flange 31 of the associated nozzle 21. In addition, the outlet 18 of top wall 19 of the cabinet 12 is desirably connected by a branch suction line 63 to main suction line 61.

Themain suction line 61 desirably leads into an inlet port 60 in the top portion of a plenum collector 64, which as it is conventional in construction, will only be described to the extent necessary for a clear understanding of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, the collector 64 desirably comprises a substantially cylindrical casing 65 having a funnel shaped bottom wall 66 with a cylindrical outlet 67 having a suitable valve 68 to control the discharge of particles from'the collector. Positioned in the casing 65 is a cylindrical baffle member 71 which desirably has an inclined flange 72 at the upper edge thereof afiixed to the wall of the casing above the port 60. Thus, all the particlessuckcd into the collector by suction applied to outlet port 78 by a suitable suction fan 79 will initially be diverted downwardly and only the lighter particles will rise through the bore 75 of the bafile member and past the upper and lower edges 76 and 77 thereof to be drawn throughthe outlet port 78 of the collector 64.

The suction fan 79 which may be of conventional design, has its inlet line 81 connected to port 78 of collector 64 and its outlet line 82 connected to the inlet port 83 of a conventional cyclone collector 84 which also is conventional in construction. Thecollector 84 desirably has an outlet 85 at the top thereof through which very fine particles which may be of micron size, I

may be forced, to be dissipated into the atmosphere or collected by means of a conventional wet collector or a bag type collector (neither of which is shown). collector 84 also has an outlet 86 at the bottom thereof, having a valve 87'therein to control thc discharge of particles into a hopper 8 8.

Positioned beneath the outlet 67 of the plenum collector 64 to receive the particles discharged therefrom, is an inclined screen 91 mounted on suitable supports 92 so that it may be vibrated by any suitable vibratory means 93.

The perforations 90 in the screen 91 are of such dimensions that only particles of less than a given size may pass therethrough, the larger particles rolling down the inclined screen 91 to be discharged into a suitable receptacle 89 positioned beneath the lower or discharge edge'80 of said screen. The particles passing through the screen 91 are discharged upon a suitable conveyor belt 94 which is driven in conventional manner in a counterclockwise direction as shown. The conveyor belt 94 is positioned so as to discharge the particles thereon into the inlet or mouth 96 of a conventional air type separator 97. The separator 97 is designed to separate the particles therein into two sizes, one of which is dischargedthrough 'an outlet 98 into a hopper 99 and the other of which is discharged through an outlet 101mm a The hopper102. Associated with the hopper 99 is a feed 7,

funnel103 which desirably has a vibrator 104mounted thereon to prevent clogging of the particles therein.

4 Positioned beneath funnel 103 is an inclined feed table mounted on suitable supports 105 so that it may be vibrated by any suitable vibratory means 106. Thus the particles discharged on table 100 from funnel 103 will be distributed over the entire surface of such table by reason of the vibration thereof and the particles will gradually move down the inclined table 100 toldrop off the lower or discharge edge 107 thereof into the distributor 46 positioned Ither'ebeneath.

As shown inFig. 1, suitable heating means 108 which may be infra red heaters, are positioned over the table 100 to drytheparticl'es thereon. In addition, electromagnetic means 109 are positioned adjacent the discharge end 107 of table 100 to remove iron or steel particles from the zinc powder which may become mixed therewith by reason of chipping of such iron or steel particles from the metal tubes being sprayed.

It is of course to be understood that a feeder unit 103 and 100, a dis'tribut'or 46 and a spray unit 12 similar to those associated with hopper 99 would also be associated with each of the hoppers 88 and 102 so that the three sizes of particles in the respective hoppers could be utilized in each spray unit and the spray pistols in each unitwould be adjusted to accommodate the particular particle size provided.

Operation In the operation of the spraying system above described, ungraded zinc powder which is generally composed of particles of two sizes designated for illustration A and B, the former being larger than the latter, is poured into the mouth 96 of the air type separator 97. This separator will separate the ungraded particles into size A and B particles, the formerbeirig discharged through outlet 98 intoh'opper 99 and the latter through outlet 101 into hopper 102.

As the'operatio'n of the system is identical with respect to the particles in hoppers 88, 99 and 102, only the portion of the system associated with hopper 99 will be described in detail.

The A type particles in hopper 99 will flow into funnel 103 and thence onto feed table 100, the vibrator 104 preventing clogging ofsuch particles in said funnel. As the feed table 100 is vibrated by vibrator 106, the particles thereon will be distributed over the entire surface of such' table and will flow down the latter off the discharge end 107 thereof onto the top surface of distributor block' 46i By reason of the infra red heaters 108, the particles on table 100 will be dried and the electromagnet 109 will remove magnetic metal impurities of iron or steel from the non-ferrous zinc particles.

Inasmuchras the funnel shaped mouths 49 of the bores 48 in distributor 46 occupy substantially the entire surface area ofthe block 46, but few particles will collect on such top surface and substantially all of the particles will pass into'the bores 48. As the outlets 45 of the transverse bores '52 of block 46 are connected by suction lines 44 to.the spray pistols in chamber 12, which are set for type 'A particles, when air is forced through said pistols, a suction will be developed in lines 44. The, strength of suchsuction may be controlled by valve 55 to regulate the quantity of the particles falling through bore 48 thatgwill be drawn into suction lines 44, the particles which arenot drawn into line44 falling through the bores 48 into collector hopper 57 to which suction line 58 isconnected so that such particles will be drawn into main line 61. V

Inasmuch as the three spray pistols 15a, 15b and 15c shown inFig. 1 are energized, themetal tube 11 passing through the spray cabinet 12 will'b'e coated. As shown, the s ray'fiom pistol 151i is: directed toward outlet 18, and the spray frompistols 15b an 15c is directed toward the associated exhaustlor suction nozzle 21. v By reason of the h'eight' of the c'abinet 12, the particles sprayed upwardly from pistol 15a will cool before reaching the top wall 19 and hence will not adhere thereto and may readily be drawn out of outlet 18 by reason of the suction created in lines 61 and 63 by suction fan 79.

However, in order that the width of the cabinet 12 be within a practical size, the side walls 16 and 17 are so close to the spray pistols 15b and 150 respectively, that the heated particles sprayed therefrom toward the exhaust nozzles 21 would adhere to the mouth of such nozzles and gradually built up and clog the latter. With the construction of the exhaust nozzle 21 herein shown such difficulty is avoided.

Thus when a stream of compressed air is forced into port 39, it will strike bafiie 38 and be spread through the chamber 41 to emerge with considerable force from the apertures 27 in funnel 26.

As a result, when the heated particles sprayed from a pistol 15 enter the mouth 23 of the opposed exhaust nozzle 21, they will not be able to touch the wall of the funnel by reason of the jets of air discharged through the apertures 27 and hence substantially none of the heated particles will adhere to the wall of the exhaust nozzle but will be drawn therethrough by reason of the suction line 59.

The suction fan 79 connected to collector 64 will cause the particles in hopper 57, in exhaust nozzles 21 and the particles entering outlet 18, to be forced into the collector 64 to strike the wall of cylinder 71. As a result, the particles will be deflected downwardly so that the heavier, coarse particles, as well as type A and B particles, Will remain at the bottom of the collector and the smaller and lighter type C particles and particles of still smaller size, formed by the metal spraying operation, will rise by reason of the swirling air currents and be drawn by the fan 79 through lines 81 and 82 into the cyclone collector.

The coarse particles and the type A and B particles will be discharged through the outlet 67 of collector 64 and fall upon the vibrating screen 91. The perforations of the screen 91 are such as to permit passage therethrough of the type A and B particles onto conveyor 94 and the coarse particles will roll down the screen off the discharge end thereof into receptacle 89. The conveyor 94 will then discharge the type A and B particles into air separator 97 for separation and discharge into hoppers 102 and 103 as previously described.

The type C and lighter particles forced into cyclone collector 84 will be separated therein in conventional manner so that the type C particles will be discharged through outlet 86 into hopper 88 and the lighter particles will be discharged through the outlet 85 to the atmosphere or to a suitable collector.

With the system shown in Fig. 1, it is merely necessary for an attendant to keep the separator 97 charged with ungraded zinc powder of type A and B particle size. The system will automatically separate such powder into various particle size suitable for spray pistols regulated to accommodate such size and return unused particles and smaller particles to the various separators for separation and use.

Consequently, there is little waste of powder and the system requires but a minimum of supervision to ensure that a suflicient supply of powder is always in the air separator 97. Inasmuch as there is no need for stoppage of the spraying operation for replenishing or removal of the powder, the spraying operation is continuous with resultant high rate of production of coated metal tubes.

As many changes could be made in the above equipment, and many apparently widely diiferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claim, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

As an article of manufacture, a suction nozzle comprising an outer casing having a cylindrical portion closed at one end with an outwardly flaring portion at its other end defining a mouth, an inner casing having a cylindrical portion of smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion of the outer casing and axially aligned therewith and spaced therefrom, one end of said cylindrical portion of said inner casing being secured to the end of said outer casing, said cylindrical portion of said inner casing having an outwardly flared portion at the other end thereof defining a mouth, the latter being secured to the mouth of the outer casing to provide a seal therebetween, said inner casing having a plurality of perforations distributed over substantially the entire wall surface thereof, said outer casing having a gas inlet port leading into the chamber defined between said inner and outer casings, a baffle plate positioned in said chamber between said inner and outer casings and aligned with said gas inlet port to deflect the gas from said inlet port away from the opposed portion of the inner casing, said closed end of said outer casing having a port leading into the inner casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 

